Conducting structure and electric switch with resilient conducting means



R. J. SPISAK ETAL CONDUCTING STRUCTURE AND ELECTRIC SWITCH May 31, 1966WITH RESILIENT CONDUCTING MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 12, 1962Fig.|.

y 1966 R. J. SPISAK ETAL 3,254,190

CONDUCTING STRUCTURE AND ELECTRIC SWITCH WITH RESILIENT CONDUCTING MEANSFiled Dec. 12, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet z 11 III Fig.5.

United States Patent 3' 254 190 CONDUCTING STRIJCTURE AND ELECTRICSWITCH WITH RESILIENT CONDUCTING MEANS Raymond J. Spisak, Chalfont Boro,and Victor F. Sabol,

Monroeville, Pa., assiguors to Westinghouse Electric Corporation,Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvauia Filed Dec. 12, 1962, Ser.No. 244,163 10 Claims. (Cl. 200-170) This invention relates generally toan improved conducting structure and, more particularly, to an improvedhinge-type conducting structure having particular utility in electricalcontrol apparatus such, for example, as disconnecting switches.

A general object of this invention is to provide improved means fortransmitting current between relatively movable conductors.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved hinge-typeconducting structure.

In many hinge-type conducting structures used, for example, indisconnecting switches, the current passes through relatively movablecontacting surfaces where mechanical external loads are applied,which-loads tend to vary the contact pressure between the relativelymovable contacting surfaces. Moreover, in many of these hinge-typeconstructions, because the mechanical loads are applied throughrelatively movable contacting surfaces that are in the current path,different types of construction are required for vertical, horizontaland inverted mountings.

Accordingly, another object of this invention is to provide an improvedhinge-type conducting structure wherein the primary current path doesnotpass through relatively movable'contacting surfaces that carry themechanical loads.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel hinge-typeconducting structure having a simplified construction, which structureis relatively easy to assemble and reliable in operation.

Another object of this'invention is to provide an improved electricalcontrol structure comprising novel current transfer means.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved switchstructure comprising a cantilever-type contact arm supported by means ofan improved hingetype conducting structure.

. The novel features that are considered characteristic of the inventionare set forth-in particular in the appended claims. The invention, bothas to structure and operation, together with additional objects andadvantages FIG. 5 is an elevational view of the conducting struc-.

ture seen in FIGS. 3 and 4;

FIG. 6 is a topplan view of the conducting structure seen in FIG. 5;

a FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line VIIVII l of FIG 5; andI ice FIG. 8 is an elevational view of a modified form of one of thespring-pin contactors seen in FIG. 5.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, there isshown therein a disconnecting switch 3 comprising a base 5 and twosupport members 7 secured. to the base 5. Two insulating supportstructures 9 and 11 are rotatably supported on the support members 7 ina manner well known in the art. Two hinge-type conducting structures 13and 15 are rigidly secured to the insulating supports 9 and 11respectively. A cantilevertype contact arm 17, having a contact 19 atthe free end .thereof, will be best understood from the followingthereof, is secured to the hinge-type conducting structure 13 by meansof two bolts 21 (FIG. 2) that fasten the contact arm 17 between an upperclamp 23 and a lower clamp 24. The lower clamp 24 is formed as anintegral part of a U-shaped conducting support member 25.

A cantilever-type movable contact arm 27, having a contact structure 29at the free end thereof, is secured to the hinge-type conductingstructure 15 in the same manner as the contact arm 17 is secured to thehinge-type conducting structure 13.

Since the hinge-type conducting structures 13 and 15 are of identicalconstruction, the reference characters for the parts thereof are thesame, and only the hinge-type conducting structure 15 will be hereinspecifically described. A I

Referring to FIG. 3, the U-shaped conducting support 25 is provided withan opening 27 in the upper leg thereof and a tapped opening 29 in thelower leg thereof. A conducting hinge-pin 31 is provided with a lowerthreaded extension 33 that is screwed into the tapped opening 29.- Thehinge-pin 31 is placed in position by being passed through the opening27 in the upper leg of the conductingsupport'25. The upper part 35 ofthe hinge-pin 31 is provided with a plurality of slots'37 that dividethe upper part into a plurality of sections. A tapped opening 39 isprovided in the upper part 35 of the hinge pin 31. A threaded plug 41 isscrewed into the opening 39 to spread the plurality of sections of theupper part 35 against the side walls of the opening 27 in the upper legof the support 25 to thereby rigidly secure ,the upper part 35 of thehinge-pin31 to the support 25.

The hinge-type conducting structure 15 also comprises a conducting hingemember 43 comprising a tubular part 45 that is disposed over thehinge-pin 31 and is rotatably supported between the upper and lower legsof the U- shaped conducting support 25 by means of two bearings 47. Eachof the bearings-47 comprises a ring-shapedmember of bronze metal that isprovided with a thin outer coating of a resin such, for example, aspolytetrafiuoroethylene. For example, the resin sold under thevproprietary name of Teflon can be used. A plurality of O-rings '49 areprovided to seal off the internal parts ofthe hinge-type conductingstructure. The conducting hinge member 43 is provided with a terminalarm portion 51 having openings 53 therein to enable connection of thehinge-type conducting structure to a conducting cable or. bus bar. 7

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, it will be seen that the tubular conductor45 .and the hinge-pin conductor 31' are constructed and arranged suchthat an annular space exists between these members. Electric current isconducted f-rom one to the other of these members by means! of aconducting structure 57 (FIGS. .5 and 6). The conducting structure 57comprises two ring-shaped supports 59. Four spring-pin conductors 61 aresupported between the ring-shaped supports 59 by means of rivets 63. Ascan be seen in FIG. 7, each of the spring-pin conductors 61 comprises aflat sheet-metal-type resilient conductor that is wrapped or rolledaround the rivet 63 a plurality of times. Each of the spring-pinconductors:

is spiraled as seen in FIG. 7. The spring-pin conductors 61 are in acharged condition when they are placed within the annular space betweenthe hinge-pin conductor 31 and the tubular conductor 45 so that, asthese resilient members tend to become unrolled or unwrapped, a contactsurface on one side of each member is biased against the hinge-pinconductor 31 and a contact surface on the same side of each member isbiased against the tubular conduct-or 45. The sheet metal plates formingthe spring-pin contactors comprise members having high conductivity andgood mechanical stiffness or spring characteristics. For example, eachof the members 61 could comprise a sheet of a zirconium copper alloy ofthe type sold under the trade name Amzirc and having high conductivity(96% International Annealed Copper Standard) and a high modulus ofelasticity (18.7)( p.s.i.). As can be seen in FIG. 4, there are fourspringpin contactors 61 in the embodiment shown therein. It can beunderstood, however, that the invention will work with either more orless of the eontactors 61.

Referring to FIG. 3, the circuit through the hinge-type conductingstructure passes from the cont-act arm 27 through the clamp 24 and intothe U-shaped conducting support 25. The current through the top leg ofthe conducting support 25 passes through the top part 3-5 of thehinge-pin 31, the hinge-pin 31, the spring-pin contactors 61, thetubular part 45 of the hinge member 43, the terminal 51, to a conductingcable or bus bar that would be attached to the terminal 51 at the switchinstallation. The current path through the bottom leg of the conductingsupport 25 passes through the threaded extension 33 of the hinge-pin 31,the hinge-pin 31, the springpin contactors 61, the tubular part'45 ofthe hinge member 43, the terminal 51 to the conducting cable or bus bar.The current can pass between the contact arm 27 and terminal 51 ineither direction.

During operation of the switch, the movable contact arm 27, conductingsupport 25, and hinge-pin 31 are rotated as a unit relative to the hingemember 43. The mechanical loads, due to the weight of the hinge member43 and the cable or bus bar that would be attached to the terminal part51 of the hinge member 43, are transmitted through the tubular conductor45 to the lower and upper bearings 47. Part of the load through thelower bearing 47 is transmitted directly to the lower arm of theconducting support 25 and the other part is transmitted through thehinge-pin 31 and the threaded extension 33 of the hinge-pin 31 to thelower arm of the conducting support 25. Part of the load through theupper bearing 47 is transmitted directly to the upper arm of theconducting support 25 and the other part is transmitted through the toppart 35 of the hinge-pin 33 to the upper arm of the conducting support25. It is to be noted that the mechanical loads are not transmittedthrough any contacting and relatively movable surfaces that are in themain current path. Thus, the contacting and relatively movable surfacesthat are in the main current path are less likely to be deformed orotherwise rendered less effective because of strains or stresses thatmight otherwise have been applied to these surfaces.

Referring to FIG. 1, the disconnecting switch 3 is shown therein theclosed position. When it is desired to open the switch, a lever 69 (FIG.2) is operated to rotate the insulating support structure 11 in acounterclockwise (FIG. =2) direction. The insulating support structure11 is operatively connected to the insulating support structure 9 bymeans of an elongated connecting arm 71. The connecting arm 71 ispivot-ally connected to the insulating support structure 9 by means of alever 73 and to the insulating support structure 1-1 by means of a lever75. Counterclockwise rotation of the insulating support structure 11effects clockwise rotation of the insulating support structure 9. As thesupports 9 and 11 are rotated, the contact arms27 and 17 are rotatedcoun-, terclockwise and clockwise, respectively, to the open po- 4sit-ion seen in FIG. 2. When it is desired to close the switch, theactuating lever 69 is operated to rotate the contact arms 27 and -17 ina clockwise and counterclockwise direction respectively, to the closedposition seen in FIG. 1.

The spring pin conductors 61 are wrapped or rolled relatively tightlywhen they are placed in position between the conductors 31 and 45. Thus,upon the occurrence of momentary fault cur-rents, good contact isretained because the forces tending to blow the conductors 61 away fromthe tubular conductor are offset by the forces tending to blow theconductors 61 away from the hinge-pin conductor 31.

A modified form of the invention is seen in FIG. 8 where a spring-pinconductor 79 similar to the conductors 61 is provided with a pluralityof staggered openings 81 therein so that along each line of contactbetween the spring-pin conductor 79 and either the tubular structure 45or the hinge-pin 41 there will be a plurality of different contactingsurfaces which are movable, to some extent, relative to each other. Insome cases this modified form of the invention will provide for moreeffective contact between the spring-pin conductors and the conductingmembers 45, 31. It is to be understood that a plurality of theconductors 79 could be used in the hingetype conducting structures 13and 15 in the same manner as that hereinbefore described with respect tothe conductors 61.

From the foregoing, it can be understood that there is provided by thisinvention improved means for transmitting current between relativelymovable conductors. The improved spring-pin conductors are used in ahingetype conducting structure that is relatively simple inconstruction, easy to assemble and reliable in operation. The contactingand relatively movable surfaces, of the hingetype conducting structures,that are in the main current path do not carry the mechanical loads sothat these surfaces are less likely to be deformed or otherwise renderedless effective because of strains or stresses that might otherwise havebeen applied to these surfaces. This advantageous feature also permitsthe construction of an improved switch that can be mounted in avertical, horizontal or inverted position, where the mechanical loadsare differently applied, without requiring any significantreconstruction of the switch.

While the invention has been disclosed in accordance with the provisionsof the patent statues, it is to be understood that various changes inthe structural details and arrangement of parts thereof may be madewithout departing from some of the essential features of the invention.It is desired, therefore, that the language of the appended claims begiven in as reasonably broad an interpretation as the prior art permits.

We claim as our invention:

1. In combination, a first and a second conductor, at

' least one of said conductors being movable relative to the other, saidconductors being constructed and arranged such that there is a generallyannular space between them, a resilient sheet material conducting memberrolled about an axis such that a radius extending from said axis willpass through a plurality of layers of said member, said member beingdisposed in said annular space such that the surfaces of said first andsecond conductors restrain said member from unrolling whereby at least apart of dinally therethrough, said third conductor comprising aresilient member positioned in said annular space such that saidcenterline is disposed within said annular space and is generallyparallel to the axis of said generally cylindrical conductor, said thirdconductor being disposed in Said annular space in a charged conditionwhereby as said third conductor tends to become unrolled a part of saidthird conductor is biased against said tubular conductor and a part ofsaid third conductor is biased against said cylindrical conductor, andsaid third conductor transmitting current between said tubular conductorand said cylindrical conductor.

7 3. In combination, a tubular conductor, a generally cylindricalconductor disposed within said tubular conductor such that a generallyannular space exists between said conductors, at least one of saidconductors being rotatably movable and being movable relative to theother, a third conductor comprising a flat member of conducting materialhaving a plurality of openings therein and rolled around itself to forman elongated member having an imaginary ceuterline passinglongitudinally therethrough, said third conductor comprising a resilientmember positioned in said annular space such that said centerline isdisposed within said annular space and is generally parallel to theaxisof said generally cylindrical conductor, said third conductor beingdisposed in said annual space in a charged condition whereby as saidthird conductor tends to become unrolled a part of said third conductoris biased against said tubular conductor to engage said tubularconductor with a line-type contact and a part of said third conductor isbiased against said cylindrical conductor to engage said cylindricalconductor with a line-type contact, said plurality of openings beingprovided so that each of said line-type contacts comprises a pluralityof spaced contacts, and said third conductor conducting current betweensaid tubular conductor and said cylindrical conductor.

4. In combination, a tubular conductor, an elongated conductor disposedwithin said tubular conductor such that a generally annular space existsbetween said conductors, a plurality of support pins disposed withinsaid annular space each with its axis generally parallel to the axis ofsaid bar-shaped conductor, a sheet metal type resilient con'ductorwrapped around each of said support pins and disposed in said annularspace in a charged condition whereby as each of said sheet metal typeconductors tends to unwrap a part thereof engages said tubular conductorand a part thereof engages said elongated conductor, and said sheetmetal type conductors conducting current between said tubular conductorand said elongated conductor.

5. In combination, a tubular conductor, an elongated conductor disposedwithin said tubular conductor such that a generally annular space existsbetween said conductors, a plurality of support pins disposed withinsaid annular space each with its axis generally parallel to the axis ofsaid bar-shaped conductor, a sheet metal conductor having a plurality ofopenings therein and being wrapped around each of said support pins,each of said sheet metal conductors being resilient whereby as eachsheet metal conductor tends to unwrap a plurality of surfaces thereofresiliently engagesaid tubular conductor and a plurality of surfacesthereof resiliently engage said elongated conductor, and said sheetmetal type conductors conducting current between said tubular conductorand said elongated conductor.

6. An electrical switch comprising, in combination, a tubular conductor,a second conductor disposed within said tubular conductor, such that anannular space exists between said conductors, at least one of saidconductors being pivotally movable relative to the other to open andclose an electric circuit, a spring-pin contactor comprising a resilientsheet metal type spiraled conducting member disposed within said annularspace in a charged condition whereby as said sheet metal type conductingmember tends to become unspiraled at least a part thereof engages saidtubular conductor and at least a part thereof engages said secondconductor, and said sheet metal type conducting member electricallyconnecting said tubular conductor and said second conductor.

7. An electric switch comprising, in combination, a first conductor anda second conductor, said conductors being constructed and arranged suchthat a space between them is in the general form of an annulus, at leastone of said conductors being movable relative to the other to open andclose an electric circuit, a plurality of spring-pin conductors eachcomprising a sheet metal type resilient member wound around itself toform an elongated member having an imaginary ceuterline extendinglongitudinally thereth-rough, each of said elongated members beingdisposed within said annular space with its ceuterline being generallyparallel to the axis of said tubular conductor, each of said spring-pinconductors being disposed within said annular space in a chargedcondition whereby as eachspring-pin conductor tends to become unwound apart thereof is biased against said tubular conductor and a part thereofis biased against said second conductor, and said spring-pin conductorselectrically connecting said tubular conductor with said secondconductor.

'8. An electric switch comprising, in combination, an elongated contactarm pivotally movable to open and close an electric circuit, ahinge-type conducting structure supporting said contact arm andcomprising a generally U-shaped support member, a tubular conductorsupported between the legs of said U-shaped support member, a bearing ateach end of said tubular conductor disposed between the tubularconductor and the associated leg of said U-shaped support member, aconducting hinge-pin disposed within said tubular conductor and fixedlyconnected to each of the legs of said generally U-shaped support member,said hinge-pin and said tubular conductor being positioned such that anannular space exists therebetween, and a spring-pin conductor comprisinga sheet metal type resilient conducting member rolled about itself inthe general form of a cylinder and disposed within said annular spacesuch that as said member tends to unroll a part thereof is biasedagainst said tubular conductor and a part thereof is biased against saidhinge-pin, and said sheet metal type conductor electrically connectingsaid tubular conductor and said conducting hinge-pin.

9. An electric switch comprising, in combination, an elongated movablecontact arm structure movable to open and close an electric circuit, ahinge-type conducting structure' supporting said elongated contact armstructure for pivotal movement, said hinge-type conducting structurecomprising a U-shapedconducting support member, a conducting hinge-pindisposed between and connected to the legs of said U-shaped supportmember, a tubular conductor disposed over said conducting hinge-pin andsupported between the legs of said U-shaped support member, said tubularconductor and said conducting hingepin being positioned such that agenerally annular space exists between them, a bearing at each of theopposite ends of said tubular conductor disposed between the associatedend of said tubular conductor and the associated leg of said U-shapedsupport, and a plurality of conducting members each comprising arolled-up resilient sheet metal con-ductor, each of said conductingmembers being disposed in said annular space in a charged conditionwhereby as said conducting members tends to unwrap they each engage bothsaid hinge-pin and said tubular conductor with contact pressure, andsaid conducting members transmitting current between said hinge-pin andsaid tubular conductor.

10. An electric switch comprising, in combination, an elongated movablecontact arm structure, a hinge-type conducting structure supporting saidelongated movable contact arm structure and comprising a generallyU-shaped conducting support member, a conducting hinge-pin dis- 7 posedbetween and fixedly connected to the legs of said generally U-shapedsupport member, a tubular conductor disposed over said hinge-pin androtatably supported betweenthe legs of said generally U-shaped supportmember, bearing means disposed between said tubular conductor and thelegs of said generally U-shapedsupport member, said conducting hinge-pinand said tubular conductor being so arranged that an annular spaceexists therebetween, a plurality of support pins disposed in saidannular space each with its axis generally parallel to the axis ofsaidhinge-pin, a sheet metal type conductor around each of said support pinsand positioned within said annular space in a charged condition wherebyas each of said sheet metal type conductors tends to uncharge at least apart of one sheet metal side thereof en- References Cited by theExaminer UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,193,122 3/1940 Crabbs -c 200170 X2,473,705 6/1949 George 339-5 3,053,956 9/1962 Clavel 200l66 KATHLEEN H.CLAFFY, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT K. SCI-IAEFER, BERNARD A. GILHEANY,

Examiners.

1. IN COMBINATION, A FIRST AND A SECOND CONDUCTOR, AT LEAST ONE OF SAIDCONDUCTORD BEING MOVABLE RELATIVE TO THE OTHER, SAID CONDUCTORS BEINGCONSTRUCTED AND ARRANGED SUCH THAT THERE IS A GENERALLY ANNULAR SPACEBETWEEN THEM, A RESILIENT SHEET MATERIAL CONDUCTING MEMBER ROLLED ABOUTAN AXIS SUCH THAT A RADIUS EXTENIDNG FROM SAID AXIS WILL PASS THROUGH APLURALITY OF LAYERS OF SAID MEMBER, SAID MEMBER BEING DISPOSED IN SAIDANNULAR SPACE SUCH THAT THE SURFACES OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND CONDUCTORSRESTRAIN SAID MEMBER FROM UNROLLING WHEREBY AT LEAST A PART OF SAIDMEMBER IS BIASED AGAINST SAID FIRST CONDUCTOR AND A LEAST A PART OF SAIDMEMBER IS BIASED AGAINST SAID SECOND CONDUCTOR, AND SAID MEMBER CARRYINGCURRENT FROM ONE TO THE OTHER OF SAID CONDUCTORS.